Driver assistance systems are known which support a driver in steering a motor vehicle. Alerting systems in which sensors monitor the vehicle itself or the vehicle surroundings are known in this context. If a situation for which the driver is to be alerted is detected, a warning is output to the driver, acoustically or visually in particular. A driving action, i.e., a response to the warning, must be carried out by the driver himself. Also known are driver assistance systems in which driving actions are executed automatically after a driver assistance system has detected a corresponding situation which requires the driving action. For example, it is known in this context to carry out a velocity regulation automatically as a function of a distance from a vehicle traveling ahead. In addition, automatic parking devices which automatically guide a vehicle into a parking spot are known. In order to obtain automatic support, the driver must initially activate the system himself. The driver generally no longer has any influence on the subsequent automatic execution or may simply completely abort a corresponding automatically conducted regulation. Fixed function assignments for individual systems which, according to clear algorithms, show a system response as a function of different, stored parameters by taking statistical limiting values into account are generally provided for the evaluation of the vehicle's driving situation. If a calibration is carried out, this calibration generally remains in effect for the future.